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「That’s not it, Senior! This is reality!」
「We’re in a pickle right now!」

Inglis and Rafinha said alternatively to Yua, and yet…

「I can have one then? There’s so many of you, I can have one, right?」

She responded by grabbing the nearest Ian by the neck and holding him under her armpit. Was she planning to take him home with her? Ian’s mechanized body should have been many times heavier than a normal person’s, and yet she treated him like he was a kitten or something alike.

「M-, Miss Yua?! I’m in the middle of a really, really important mission right now…」
「It’s fine. There are so many of you, no one can tell if it’s short of one.」
「No no, all of us need to put our strength and heart together to…」

When the carried Ian was trying to reason with Yua and looking very distressed…

「UWOOooohhh!!」

From the caved-in wall, Diego came back to action.

「「「 Sir Diego!! Thank goodness you’re alright! How did it go on your——?!」」」」

As the many-Ian called out to Diego, the big man shouted back at them.

「IAN!!! You sold us, you b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲?! Our target disappeared right after we made our move, and now look how I ended up! They couldn’t have pulled that out if they didn’t know our plan!」
「「「「Th-, that’s not it! Miss Inglis figured everything out on her own! She is horrifying, we have to combine our strength to defeat her!」」」」
「Very well then, we will! I will take all of you for myseelff!!!」

From the left palm that he held out, there showed a pattern that seemed to belong to the Highland.

「’Convergence Magic Formula’!! He’s hiding another one of it!」
「Ooh!!」

That was a relief. Inglis had been regretting the fact that she had unknowingly destroyed Diego’s ability to gather power and become stronger. If he still could pull the same trick, then he should by all means get stronger to the very limits and fight Inglis with his newfound strength.

「Submit to me, Ian! Send me all the mana all of you have!」
「「「「UOOOOOAAAAaaaaahhhhh?!!」」」」

Light rose from the bodies of the many-Ian and flowed into Diego.

「Stop it, General Diego!! Ian is your comrade isn’t he?! Look at how much pain he’s in!!」

Lahti, who couldn’t bear to watch the ongoing scene, cut in to stop Diego.

「I see that you’re well, Prince Lahti!! However, I cannot abide by your words! The life of a Prince who was absent during a national crisis has no value!」
「EEeeehhh?! Prince?! Lahti is?!」

Rafinha exclaimed.

「Yeah…apparently.」
「Ah! No, before that, you have to stop him, Glis! At this rate, Ian will…」
「Eeh?」

That’s troubling. As far as Inglis was concerned, she wanted Diego to absorb as much power as possible to get him strong enough to be on par with her. After all, a battle had to be won by taking the greatest strength of your opponent head-on. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to grow.

The only time Inglis broke this code was if Rafinha was in danger, but she was now safe right beside her. That being said, if Rafinha, her cute granddaughter-figure, asked her to do something for her, then as a parent, or rather, grandparent…

「「「「Don’t stop me, Lahti!!」」」」

However, apparently, Ian(s) didn’t want it to be stopped.

「Wh-, why, Ian?!」

The Ian army didn’t answer. Instead, they begin to speak to Diego.

「Sir Diego, I do not mind if you take all of my strength from me……」
「So please, accomplish our mission!」
「For that purpose, I will gladly!」
「For our Kingdom! For our Alucard!」

Having their strength sucked dry, Ians collapsed one Ian after another.

「Ian! You little?! Forgive me for ever doubting you! I have certainly received your strength and your will!」

Diego’s body, which had absorbed all the mana from Ian, was now enveloped in a glow with sparks of electricity. His power was leaps and bounds different from a moment ago.

I see. This ‘Convergence Magic Formation’ thing is quite an interesting piece of technology in its own right.

「Ye……s!!」

Smiling, the last of Ians collapsed on the stage. After overseeing his comrade’s fall, Diego turned to Inglis and glared at her.

「This is our… Alucard’s strength and will! And we will bring you down with it!!!」
「Strength and will are essentially irrelevant to one another… Please, if anything, just use your strength.」
「SHUT YOUR TRAAAPPP!!! UWOOOOOOHHHH!!!」

With a yell that was close to a roar, Diego rushed towards Inglis. Different from before, his momentum was akin to an arrow made of light!!

「HYaaah!!」

Inglis’ elbow strike slammed down exactly at the nape of the onrushing Diego.

The massive, iron body was promptly slammed into the floorings with otherworldly force, creaking and caving in.

「HAGGGKKKHHH?!!!! WH-, WHAT?! I’ve absorbed so much power already, and yet you! Damn m-, monster!!」
「How rude. Can’t you see I am but an ordinary village girl?」

As she answered the accusation calmly, she grabbed Diego’s neck with one hand and hoisted him up.

「By the way, was that the best you could do? Can’t you do something more?」

Frankly speaking, it was just too pathetic and dissatisfying… He wouldn’t even hold a candle to Abel. It would be nice if Diego could put up at least the same degree of a fight.

「Hggk?!! If-, if only I could absorb more power, more!」

Inglis released Diego off her hand and let him fall to the floor.

「Go on, then. Please, go and collect more strength.」
「H-, how much do you want to make a fool of me?! I will make you regret it!」

As he said so, Diego’s gaze turned to Alina and the other kids who had taken refuge in the corner.

「NOOO!! ABSOLUTELY NOT!! Grab him, Glis! Or else it’s done between us!!」

Rafinha came at her with the most gruesome anger in her eyes.